Balaclavas

[Biggles]

'Twas in ALDI today looking at the left-over biking bits and saw the balaclava for $10.00.
I'm off to Tassie in October, and reckon I'll need to pack warm.
Since it was "only" a tenner I thought I'd give it a whirl, after finding a heavy scarf a bit of a pain in the neck when I did a Newcastle run a month ago.
Just tried it on, wondering how it would go with the pretty close-fitting Shoei.
It actually makes pulling the lid on and off easier, mainly because of my car-door style ears.  Without the balaclava my ears tend to curl and require a bit of twisting etc to get settled.  With it, they just lie flat like nice little normal ears.
I won't be wearing it through a Queensland summer, but southern journeys might see it get an outing.
Another technological break-through!   

Might add some interest to the TAKE YOUR HELMET OFF WHEN PAYING FOR PETROL rerquirement.
Biggles rocks in wearing a balaclava. 
That'll test their resolve!   

[Whizz]

I have always worn a skull cap, primarily to hold my ears in when I put my helmet on. I got one from the US as no-one seems to sell them here and it is good in the summer as it wicks away sweat from the head and is a dammed sight easier to wash than the inside of the helmet. Keeps you head cool and comfortable, holds you ears in place and keeps the helmet clean...what more could you want!

[Biggles]

Can you post up an URL for that, Whizz?  I trust it's not one of those "scarey" skull face masks the hard men wear to intimidate the world!

[Tipsy]

  py
I have the Aldi one witch I modified to fit under the chin and it works a treat for all the reasons above

Tipsy

[terrydj]

Picked myself an Aldi one and cut a hole wear the mouth is. My glasses kept fogging when I breathed and with the cut their perfect

[Sabie]

Balaclava.... is that like greek food....

[STeveo]

Not greek food. it was so cold at the battle of Balaclava back it 1813? that the soldiers cut up old clothing to wrap around thier heads to keep warm. This is also where the saying 'freeze the balls off a brass monkey' came from as the cannon balls were made of cast iron, and the 'monkey' that held them onto the cannon frame was made of brass and the different rates of contraction in the freezing cold caused the  brass to contract more than the cast and the balls 'fell off'.

 

[Tipsy]

  py

Its a smaller version if the Burka 
but you cant go into shops wearing it without causing a bit if a stir especially if you still have your helmet on.

Tipsy

[alphafang]

Steveo I always thought it was a naval thing.

 In the heyday of sailing ships, all war ships and many freighters
 carried iron cannons. Those cannon fired round iron cannon balls. It was
 necessary to keep a good supply near the cannon. But how to prevent them
 from rolling about the deck?
 The best storage method devised was a square based pyramid with one
 ball on top, resting on four resting on nine which rested on sixteen.
 Thus, a supply of thirty cannon balls could be stacked in a small area
 right next to the cannon.
 There was only one problem -- how to prevent the bottom layer from
 sliding/rolling from under the others. The solution was a metal plate
 called a "Monkey" with sixteen round indentations. But, if this plate
 was made of iron, the iron balls would quickly rust to it. The solution
 to the rusting problem was to make "Brass Monkeys."
 Few landlubbers realize that brass contracts much more and much
 faster than iron when chilled. Consequently, when the temperature dropped
 too far, the brass indentations would shrink so much that the iron cannon
 balls would come right off the monkey. Thus, it was quite literally,
 "Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey!"

The more I read though that also appears to be wrong. never mind I like the ideas were using.

[Whizz]

Biggles, no, its just a black skull cap.

Try here;
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=24729

or here;
http://www.skullcapcity.com/cotton-skull-caps.html

although neither is exactly what I got, I'll keep looking and get back to you.

[Whizz]

Alpha, I think you're right, simply because that was the story I hard many years ago. Also most of the little sayings came from the British Navy, example "Not big enough to swing a cat" refers to the area under the fore deck where sailors had their hammocks which wasn't large enough for the Boatswain to swing his cat-of-nine-tails whip, hence punishment always being carried on deck.

A "Jack Tar" was a nickname for a sailor because they covered their heads (and hair) in ships tar to keep the fleas and lice out, this stained the palms of their hands black. Queen Victoria thought they all had dirty hands and didn't want to see them so the Navy is the only service which salutes with the palm facing down.

There are loads of other examples as well

[Whizz]

Biggles, this is the one I've go;
http://www.andystrapz.com/products-details.php?productId=158&productCategoryId=40&Level=1

[Biggles]

Thanks Whizz.  Good to see it's an Oz supplier.  Sad that they cost 3 times as much as an Aldi balaclava which is 3 times larger.

Anyone wanting the most authoritative info on brass monkeys, this guy is excellent.  I get his weekly email which is always a good read.

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/cold%20enough%20to%20freeze%20the%20balls%20off%20a%20brass%20monkey.html

[terrydj]

Me thinks the Navy thing is a Con
The term actually was Freeze the Tail off a Brass monkey and mostly related too,  me thinks the zillions of Brass Monkeys that used to be sold as souvenirs from China.

At Stanthorpe I think their is a Brass Monkey complete with a couple of Balls

[Whizz]

Biggles, here's another one, this time an HJC;
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/14/67/911/45786/ITEM/HJC-Cool-Max-Headliner.aspx

[saaz]

I have used a silk balaclava for years, mostly when I did not have fairings on bikes.  They sure do work well, and I probably should start using it again particularly with the Shark Evoline helmets as it would make putting the helmet on with earplugs that bit easier.

[Biggles]

I have used a silk balaclava for years, mostly when I did not have fairings on bikes.  They sure do work well, and I probably should start using it again particularly with the Shark Evoline helmets as it would make putting the helmet on with earplugs that bit easier.

OK, that answers the question of how to pull a helmet on without pulling the wired earplugs out of ones ears.

[saaz]

I have only used the earmold wired ear plugs with my flip helmets, so the technique is the flip the chinbar up, then put the helmet on while pulling out on the lower part of the helmet so it slips on slightly easier.  With a balaclava this step would probably not be needed, and for a full face helmet it would make it easier to keep the ear plugs in place.  I may just try it on my old full face helmet just to see.

[terrydj]

I have only used the earmold wired ear plugs with my flip helmets, so the technique is the flip the chinbar up, then put the helmet on while pulling out on the lower part of the helmet so it slips on slightly easier. 

Yeap that's the way to do it
Oh yeah and just gave my Shark Evoline away to a mate. Just hated it

[Desty]

Biggles, when I rode to Tassie, in June btw, I only needed a neck sock and closed the vents on my helmet. I found the balaclava added too much external diameter to my already bulbous head to fit comfortably in my helmet for extended riding...

http://www.hondacatalogue.com.au/categories/Merchandise/General/Neck-Warmer/

[terrydj]

When wearing a Balaclava I always have my glasses fog up so have had to cut a mouth opening sooooo after a bit of a look found these on E bay for like $5.00 a pop delivered, so just ordered me a couple

Link: http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_trksid=p3907.m570.l1313&_nkw=3+hole+balaclava&_sacat=0&_from=R40
                                 
 

[Biggles]

Biggles, when I rode to Tassie, in June btw, I only needed a neck sock and closed the vents on my helmet. I found the balaclava added too much external diameter to my already bulbous head to fit comfortably in my helmet for extended riding...

My nut isn't especially fat, and the helmet slipped on over it OK.  Also it's not a knitted woollen one, so is more like a lycra fit.
The weatherman must know I'm getting close to departing.  It's raining steadily...